Journal #4 James W. Lowen: He Riles Me Up Again!

QUOTE:

“Residents of northern Europe and England rarely bathed, believing it unhealthy, and rarely removed all of their clothing at one time, believing it immodest. The Pilgrims smelled bad to the Indians. Squanto ‘tried, without success, to teach them to bathe’” (Lowen 79).



SUMMARY:

Diseases and illnesses such as smallpox and influenza were brought to America by the Europeans, which then wiped out the Native Americans. The Europeans considered Native Americans “savage,” and yet the natives were no threat to any of their intruders.


RESPONSE:

The Christians take their “modesty” to such an extreme level; that is itself “dirty” when it prevents them from proper hygiene. This early “germ warfare” was not only devastating for the indigenous people; it also increased the Europeans’ chances of taking over the Native American lands effortlessly. They could literally walk into deserted Native American villages and continue their conquest of America.

We are so aware of the genocide that happened during World War II, but the disappearance of Native Americans was genocide too. This is finally being taught in schools, that I at least have experienced or heard about, but will this knowledge change anything? The government has given Native Americans some land on reservations, however, does that make up for what happened?

I have some very close Native American friends who have recently moved to a reservation in Montana. They are doing their best to bring change to the people, who are very sick according to my friends. There are these reservations, but no healthy foods easily available (without having enough time or skills to farm, for example). The people barely have any resources for any sort of changes to a healthier lifestyle. What was done has been done, and impossible to compensate Native Americans for it now, but maybe more people having this knowledge can somehow help?